Effect of Foliar and Root Application of Silicon Against Rice Blast Fungus in MR219 Rice Variety

Abstract

Rice blast disease caused by Magnaporthe grisea (Hebert) Barr [teleomorph] is one of the most devastating diseases in rice plantation areas. Silicon is considered as a useful element for a large variety of plants. Rice variety MR219 was grown in the glasshouse to investigate the function of silicon in conferring resistance against blast. Silica gel was applied to soil while sodium silicate was used as foliar spray at the rates of 0, 60, 120, 180 g/5 kg soil and 0, 1, 2, 3 ml/l respectively. The treatments were arranged in a completely randomized design. Disease severity and silicon content of leaves were compared between the non-amended controls and rice plants receiving the different rates and sources of silicon. Silicon at all rates of application significantly (α = 0.05) reduced the severity of disease with highest reduction (75%) recorded in treatments receiving 120 g of silica gel. SEM/EDX observations demonstrated a significant difference in weight concentration of silicon in silica cells on the leaf epidermis between silicon treated (25.79%) and non treated plants (7.87%) indicating that Si-fertilization resulted in higher deposition of Si in silica cells in comparison with non-treated plants. Application of silicon also led to a significant increase in Si contents of leaves. Contrast procedures indicated higher efficiency of silica gel in comparison to sodium silicate in almost all parameters assessed. The results suggest that mitigated levels of disease were associated with silicification and fortification of leaf epidermal cells through silicon fertilization.

Applying Limestone or Basalt in Combination with Bio-Fertilizer to Sustain Rice Production on an Acid Sulfate Soil in Malaysia

“…However, silicic acid released by the dissolution of basalt would be taken up by the rice plants [30] that resulted in prevention of rice blast [31]. This phenomenon was confirmed by the study of Massey and Hartley [32]. Basalt contained 30%-40% silica and so it would increase soluble Si in the soil that could be taken up by rice (Table 7).…”

Effect of Biogenic Silica Nanoparticles on Blast and Brown Spot Diseases of Rice and Yield Component

“…Normally blast can be controlled through chemical fungicides, this will lead to the establishment of races of the pathogen resistant to these chemicals and the pesticides have a negative effect to the environment (Gao et al 2011). Using Si for disease control is both economically viable and environmentally friendly (Abed-Ashtiani et al 2012;Sun et al 2010). However, given its universal nature, the beneficial effect of Si is only noticeable in soils that are Si deficient, like most rice fields (Foy, 1992) Silicon application increases rice resistance to blast on both partially resistant and susceptible cultivars (Seebold et al 2001).…”

Screening of Rice Accessions Resistant to Blast in Benin

“…Among the fungal diseases of rice, blast remains the most important [8]. It causes estimated losses of more than $ 70 billion a year [9,10] and represents the largest pathological condition with significant economic impact and a serious threat to food security in the world [11,12,7]. Every year it is estimated that rice blast destroy food more than enough to eat for 60 million people and 50% of the rice yield is lost in the field by the occurrence of blast [13].…”